InReach Retention Advocate

Department: Survivor Services

Reports to: Co-Director of Survivor Services

Status: Part time (32 hours per week), hourly / non-exempt

Wage: $25.98 per hour

Position Overview

Are you a creative problem solver committed to empowering and supporting survivors? Are you passionate about helping survivors of domestic and / or sexual violence to maintain permanent housing? Are you dedicated to working across organizations and systems to advocate with survivors? YWCA of Greater Portland helps domestic violence survivors navigate systems and attain safe and stable housing as part of YWCA USA, the largest and oldest provider of domestic violence support services in the world. In this role, you will support survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence to maintain stable housing by providing relationship-based, Survivor-centered services. The InReach Retention Advocate will be on a mission to empower recently housed Survivors to achieve long-term stability and independence.

YWCA is on a Mission

YWCA is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace,

justice, freedom, and dignity for all. For more than 120 years, YWCA of Greater Portland

has invested in our community, supported survivors, and advocated for the most

vulnerable among us: women, children, seniors, the unhoused, and the incarcerated. As

one of 200 Associations nationwide, we are proud members of YWCA USA, one of the

oldest and largest women's organizations in the nation.

Key Responsibilities

Responsive and strategic housing support

• Using a trauma-informed approach the InReach retention advocate must deliver sustained support to survivors for a period of 6 to 12 months after they are housed. Services are tailored to the survivor's requested needs and encompass emotional support, advocacy, and education. This includes practical assistance such as landlord mediation, attendance at hearings, safety planning, harm reduction, securing basic needs, increasing income, and providing targeted referrals to applicable community resources.
• Build rapport with survivors by maintaining communication and providing ongoing housing retention support to help survivors maintain permanent housing.
• Create safety plans alongside survivors using a Survivor led and harm reduction lens.
• Apply knowledge of Fair Housing and VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) protections and/or landlord/tenant laws and contextualize the survivor’s experience while maintaining confidentiality.
• Collaborate with the InReach team to ensure successful warm transfers to retention from InReach housing advocates.
• Maintain active caseload of 20-30 housed Survivors
• Research and maintain an active community resource database for effective service delivery.
• Build partnerships with community organizations to provide effective co-advocacy at the directive of Survivors
• Use a mobile advocacy model to provide services to Survivors in person, as requested by Survivors.
• Provide practical, survivor-centered coaching on basic budgeting, financial management, and saving strategies.

Conduct data collection, analysis, and programmatic evaluation

• Collect program data including participant demographics, services delivered, and participant feedback.
• Complete all data entry, filing, and eligibility requirement tasks in a timely manner. Such activities require adherence to federal, state, and local laws and contract requirements while working within multiple agency systems. All work must be carried out while maintaining absolute participant confidentiality.
• Track expenditures against program goals and maintain accurate and timely financial records including all credit card receipts.

Participatory teamwork and responsible representation

• Engage consistently in anti-racism practices and approaches with internal and external work based on a deep understanding of historical and present-day structural racism.
• Develop and maintain positive professional relationships with housing providers in the Greater Portland area, social services agencies, city and government officials, the Survivor Services team, and YWCA.
• Attend and meaningfully participate in all scheduled meetings with department, agency, and external partner teams.
• Commit to ongoing participation in continuing education including DV and Fair Housing legal changes.
• Uphold the YWCA of Greater Portland’s mission, vision, and values by acting with integrity, accountability, and responsibility toward survivor participants, service partners, fellow employees, volunteers, donors, and everyone the organization engages with.

The Ideal Candidate

• Communicates directly, consistently, and kindly with agency partners, and colleagues, and responds in a timely, compassionate, and appropriate way to multiple partners.
• Manages a complicated and frequently deadline-driven work environment with consistent and effective self-care strategies and techniques.
• Advocates for social justice, including furthering the rights, protections, access to safety, and empowerment of historically oppressed, under-represented, and/or marginalized communities. Interrupts discrimination when witnessed.
• Regulates personal emotions and practices self-care while enduring high amounts of stress and vicarious trauma.
• Brings an intersectional lens to the work that focuses on lived experience, resiliency, and opportunities for calling in and deeper learning.
• Has a high tolerance for ambiguity and emotional intensity; able to remain calm, grounded, and effective survivor-led services while sitting with a survivor's pain, anger, or frustration without reverting to saviorism
• Has ability to work independently with accountability
• Has knowledge of trauma-informed services, harm reduction, and uses create problem solving.

Skills, Knowledge, & Experience

• Required: 40-hour Domestic Violence Advocate Training and Motivational Interviewing Training (both provided upon hire).
• Bilingual / Bicultural strongly preferred.
• Comfortable in rapidly evolving situations that require advanced creative problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to self-manage workload priorities and calendar while being responsive to survivor needs and priorities. High self-motivation is key.
• Ability to manage caseload to a monthly budget and other contractual requirements to serve the greatest number of participants possible.
• Knowledge of and the ability to effectively use survivor-centered best practices (including reflective listening) to find participant-led solutions.
• Ability to build rapport with survivors from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds, maintain and respect confidentiality, and consistently treat others with respect and dignity.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and hold firm, compassionate boundaries with participants, colleagues, and community partners. This includes the emotional capacity to navigate difficult conversations, manage expectations, and say "no" when necessary to ensure sustainable and effective service delivery.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; strong attention to detail and solid data entry.
• Experience with or ability to quickly learn Microsoft Office, Excel, Google Suite, Adobe Acrobat, and an Android cell phone.
• Flexibility, kindness, discretion, and a sense of humor are essential.

Job Conditions

• Primarily remote position in Portland Metro Region that requires in-person meetings with program participants, colleagues, and other partners at varied community locations.
• Must be able to provide own transportation. Travel is reimbursed.
• Laptop, phone, and other work-from-home equipment as needed will be supplied.

Benefits

• 100% Employer-paid comprehensive medical, vision, and dental insurance coverage (with a no deductible option).
• Generous paid time off (including 13 paid holidays).
• Employer paid Life, Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance.
• Unlimited access to no-cost Social Justice Trainings (see ywcapdx.org) and additional position-specific professional development.
• 100% Employer-paid pension plan (generous contribution) after 2 years of service in the YWCA Retirement Fund, one of the oldest pension plans in the country; a 403(b) Retirement Savings plan is available to all new employees.
• Membership in the YWCA USA sisterhood, a 150-year-old network of 200 associations worldwide.

Our Hiring Philosophy

We believe that a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace makes us stronger, more creative, and more resilient. As an organization that works to amplify the voices of those from different ethnic, racial, and cultural communities, religions, gender identities, sexual orientations and/or expressions, we highly encourage people from all backgrounds, ages, abilities, and experiences to apply.

YWCA of Greater Portland is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital or family status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, pregnancy or caregiver status, veteran status, justice-involved background, or any other legally protected status. We work to ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application and interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.

YWCA is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. Multicultural, multilingual, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ voices matter to us. We encourage everyone who is passionate about our mission and who can bring valuable lived experience to this position to apply, even if you don't believe you meet all the described qualifications. YWCA will not hire someone currently receiving services or within the first 6 months of ending YWCA services. YWCA cannot provide services for our own employees but can provide referrals to other agencies.

Application Instructions

This position is open until filled, and interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis as applications are received. To apply, please email employment@ywcapdx.org with the following:

• Cover letter that highlights what inspires you about our mission and how your professional and/or personal experiences will strengthen YWCA’s therapeutic services for survivors
• Resume
• 3 to 5 references

ONLY complete applications will be considered.